Automotive Retail Salesperson
Salary

An Automotive Retail Salesperson earns an average salary of $36,454 per year. The skills that increase pay for this job the most are Negotiation, Oral / Verbal Communication, and Sales. Most people with this job move on to other positions after 20 years in this career. Pay for this job rises steadily for more experienced workers, but goes down noticeably for employees with more than 20 years' experience.

XTotal Pay combines base annual salary or hourly wage, bonuses, profit sharing, tips, commissions, overtime pay and other forms of cash earnings, as applicable for this job. It does not include equity (stock) compensation, cash value of retirement benefits, or the value of other non-cash benefits (e.g. healthcare).

XTotal Pay combines base annual salary or hourly wage, bonuses, profit sharing, tips, commissions, overtime pay and other forms of cash earnings, as applicable for this job. It does not include equity (stock) compensation, cash value of retirement benefits, or the value of other non-cash benefits (e.g. healthcare).

Job Description for Automotive Retail Salesperson

The individual who assists potential customers at a car dealership (or other car seller) is an automotive retail salesperson. The salesperson helps sell vehicles by providing customer assistance, answering questions, and facilitating test drives. They also typically serve as the point person for the necessary paperwork for purchases, including arranging financing terms for customers and presenting them with available loan options.

Product knowledge is an essential part of the automotive retail salesperson's job, so they can offer clients information in a clear, informative way. Generally, dealerships expect their retail salespeople to educate themselves on the different makes and models of car being sold. The salesperson must be familiar with available options and other related sales packages as well. In addition to this product knowledge, the salesperson needs a thorough working knowledge of all warranties and coverages offered for the vehicles sold by the dealership. He or she should be ready to answer in-depth customer inquiries regarding such guarantees and service options. The salesperson needs to understand loan application and inquiry procedures as provided by the retailer and be able to provide financing options in detail to a prospective customer.

Most employers require a high school diploma or equivalent for automotive retail salespeople. Prior sales and customer service experience is usually needed as well. Automotive retail salespeople must be friendly, knowledgeable, and have excellent communication skills, as compensation in this position typically includes commissions on sales. Automotive retail salespersons typically need a valid driver’s license and a clean driving record as well.

Automotive Retail Salesperson Tasks

Attend special training of products/services to understand the product features, trends or styles of the products/services.

Sell the organization's products/services to new or established customers typically via walk-in business.